23,482 research outputs found
Secure Cloud-Edge Deployments, with Trust
Assessing the security level of IoT applications to be deployed to
heterogeneous Cloud-Edge infrastructures operated by different providers is a
non-trivial task. In this article, we present a methodology that permits to
express security requirements for IoT applications, as well as infrastructure
security capabilities, in a simple and declarative manner, and to automatically
obtain an explainable assessment of the security level of the possible
application deployments. The methodology also considers the impact of trust
relations among different stakeholders using or managing Cloud-Edge
infrastructures. A lifelike example is used to showcase the prototyped
implementation of the methodology
Supergravity, Non-Conformal Field Theories and Brane-Worlds
We consider the supergravity dual descriptions of non-conformal super
Yang-Mills theories realized on the world-volume of Dp-branes. We use the dual
description to compute stress-energy tensor and current correlators. We apply
the results to the study of dilatonic brane-worlds described by non-conformal
field theories coupled to gravity. We find that brane-worlds based on D4 and D5
branes exhibit a localization of gauge and gravitational fields. We calculate
the corrections to the Newton and Coulomb laws in these theories.Comment: 24 pages, Latex, 2 figure
Vacuum Landscaping: Cause of Nonlocal Influences without Signaling
In the quest for an understanding of nonlocality with respect to an
appropriate ontology, we propose a "cosmological solution". We assume that from
the beginning of the universe each point in space has been the location of a
scalar field representing a zero-point vacuum energy that nonlocally vibrates
at a vast range of different frequencies across the whole universe. A quantum,
then, is a nonequilibrium steady state in the form of a "bouncer" coupled
resonantly to one of those (particle type dependent) frequencies, in remote
analogy to the bouncing oil drops on an oscillating oil bath as in Couder's
experiments. A major difference to the latter analogy is given by the nonlocal
nature of the vacuum oscillations.
We show with the examples of double- and -slit interference that the
assumed nonlocality of the distribution functions alone suffices to derive the
de Broglie-Bohm guiding equation for particles with otherwise purely
classical means. In our model, no influences from configuration space are
required, as everything can be described in 3-space. Importantly, the setting
up of an experimental arrangement limits and shapes the forward and osmotic
contributions and is described as vacuum landscaping.Comment: 21 pages, 3 figures; talk presented at the 4th international
symposium on "Emergent Quantum Mechanics" (London, UK, 26-28 October, 2017);
http://emqm17.org
Constituting best practice in management consulting
This paper offers critical reflections on the construction and propagation of âbest practiceâ: a concept which has become increasingly important in the business world and in civic life more generally. Focusing upon the activities of the Management Consultancies Association (MCA) we offer an analysis of the awards process instituted to applaud âbest practiceâ in the arena of consulting. Departing from existing academic representations of the advice industry which generally exclude this trade body from the analytical frame we consider the role which the MCA performs in the field of consulting. Situating the MCAâs attempt to constitute best practice within the work of Bruno Latour we argue that this construct depends upon the mobilization of an extended network of allies, advocates and spectators whose interactions have been written-out of academic analysis. The paper concludes by proposing the need for further research designed to explore, both, the heterogeneity and the porosity of the networks that construct, convey and applaud key knowledge products such as âbest practiceâ
An optimal feedback model to prevent manipulation behaviours in consensus under social network group decision making
The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.A novel framework to prevent manipulation behaviour
in consensus reaching process under social network
group decision making is proposed, which is based on a theoretically
sound optimal feedback model. The manipulation
behaviour classification is twofold: (1) âindividual manipulationâ
where each expert manipulates his/her own behaviour to achieve
higher importance degree (weight); and (2) âgroup manipulationâ
where a group of experts force inconsistent experts to adopt
specific recommendation advices obtained via the use of fixed
feedback parameter. To counteract âindividual manipulationâ, a
behavioural weights assignment method modelling sequential
attitude ranging from âdictatorshipâ to âdemocracyâ is developed,
and then a reasonable policy for group minimum adjustment cost
is established to assign appropriate weights to experts. To prevent
âgroup manipulationâ, an optimal feedback model with objective
function the individual adjustments cost and constraints related
to the threshold of group consensus is investigated. This approach
allows the inconsistent experts to balance group consensus and
adjustment cost, which enhances their willingness to adopt the
recommendation advices and consequently the group reaching
consensus on the decision making problem at hand. A numerical
example is presented to illustrate and verify the proposed optimal
feedback model
On the emergent Semantic Web and overlooked issues
The emergent Semantic Web, despite being in its infancy, has already received a lotof attention from academia and industry. This resulted in an abundance of prototype systems and discussion most of which are centred around the underlying infrastructure. However, when we critically review the work done to date we realise that there is little discussion with respect to the vision of the Semantic Web. In particular, there is an observed dearth of discussion on how to deliver knowledge sharing in an environment such as the Semantic Web in effective and efficient manners. There are a lot of overlooked issues, associated with agents and trust to hidden assumptions made with respect to knowledge representation and robust reasoning in a distributed environment. These issues could potentially hinder further development if not considered at the early stages of designing Semantic Web systems. In this perspectives paper, we aim to help engineers and practitioners of the Semantic Web by raising awareness of these issues
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